Device for production of a left-hand indentation for cast lines

ABSTRACT

In a linecasting machine, left-hand margin indentation of a line is achieved by the provision of a stop member which is selectably interposed in the path of the left-hand vise jaw which is then moved into abutting relationship with the stop member. For different length indentations, different length stop members are used.

United States Patent Karl Debus Bad l-lomburg, Germany 724,371

Apr. 26, 1968 Nov. 16, 1971 Linotype G.m.b.H.

Frankfurt am Main, Germany May 24, 1967 Germany Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority DEVICE FOR PRODUCTION OF A LEFT-HAND INDENTATION FOR CAST LINES 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 199/50,

197/51 Int. Cl B411) 11/50 Field of Search 199/18, 22,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1921 Marlatt 5/1930 Waters 6/1934 2/1934 11/1936 ll/l936 7/1939 5/1955 5/1955 8/1955 4/1962 Sperry Frolander... Turner Hilpman Mead Rossetto Freund et a]... Weckbaugh... Abbott FOREIGN PATENTS France Germany Primary Examiner-Edgar S. Burr AttorneyWilliam P. Keegan ABSTRACT: In a linecasting machine, left-hand margin indentation of a line is achieved by the provision of a stop member which is selectably interposed in the path of the lefthand vise jaw which is then moved into abutting relationship with the stop member. For different length indentations, different length stop members are used.

PATENTEDNUV 16 l97| 3,620,360

sum 2 0F 2 DEVICE FOR PRODUCTION OF A LEFT-HAND INDENTATION FOR CAST LINES For certain types of composing work produced with a linecasting machine it is necessary to indent the left-hand side of one or several lines by a certain measure. For instance, with advertisements, radio programs, telephone directories, etc., where the first word (catch word, statement of time or name of the subscriber) is preferably set in bold type, the following lines should be indented a corresponding distance to indicate that they belong to the respective first line.

In the past such left-hand indention was accomplished by adding fixed space to each single line by the machine operator, or, in case of tape operation, by the perforated tape keyboard operator. Thus to provide for such indentation required both time and special attention on the part of the operator.

It is the object of the invention to automate the realization of such left-hand indention and to produce a method and a device which is essentially simpler, more exact, and safer in operation, and which allows higher operation speeds than did the manual operation resorted to in the past.

According to the method of the invention, a locking bar with preselectable position is first brought into the path of movement of the left-hand vise jaw of the composing machine or a part of the composing machine connected to it, after which the left-hand vise jaw is moved towards the right-hand vise jaw to a point determined by its engagement with the locking bar, and the matrix line is thereafter justified. This method has, in comparison to methods known before, the advantage of taking away from the operator the need to determine the extent of an indention which determinations were always liable to errors. Furthermore, it allows in an excellent manner an automatic control of a linecasting machine via punched tape or other means of control, such as direct control via an electronic data processing system.

One means of carrying out the method of the invention includes a left-hand vise jaw movable towards the right-hand vise jaw by means of an automatic quadding device, which devices are already well known in the art. With such device the left-hand vice jaw is brought back to its initial position after the casting of each matrix line. For purposes of this invention the automatic quadding device might be actuated for justified lines by the command quad right, for lines with an uneven right-hand margin such as in typewriter composition, hereinafter called an unjustified line, or for initial lines with indention by the command "quad center. This has the advantage that, on a quadder-equipped linecasting machine, only simple modifications have to be carried out. In the case of unjustified lines it is, however, a precondition that the righthand indention equals at least the left-hand one.

To obviate this difficulty with regard to unjustified lines, in a further refinement of the invention, the left-hand vise jaw is moved by spring tension towards the right-hand vise jaw. Preferably, the left-hand vise jaw is brought back to its initial position by means of an automatic quadding device and the device, generating the spring pressure, tensioned again. In this further embodiment of the invention, in the case of indented justified lines, the quadding device is suitably given the command quad left, followed by the command "quad right and, in the case of indented lines with uneven right-hand margins, the quadding device is given the command quad-left" followed by the command quad left." By such means the safe return and definite engagement of the left-hand vise jaw is assured in both cases.

In case of justified work, the automatic blocking by the quadding device of the justification linkage is advantageously eliminated; in the case of unjustified lines, the effect of its pinion only is prevented by actuating the quadding device.

In the following, the invention is described in detail by means of two examples and in connection with the attached illustration. For this purpose, a linecasting machine with a hydraulic quadding device was chosen. The invention, however, is by no means limited to the use of this or similar quadding devices.

Features and advantages of the invention may be gained from the foregoing and from the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which follows.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary rear view in perspective of the vise mechanism of a linecasting machine; and

FIG. 2 is a detailed top plan view of the indentation mechanism of the present invention.

The illustration shows those parts of the linecasting machine necessary for the understanding of the invention, since the construction and the working method of the linecasting and composing machine has been known for a long time and described in detail (see, for instance, Linotype-Instruktionsbuch Beschreibung der Arbeitsweise der verschiedenen Linotype-Modelle und Zusatzeinrichtungen sowie ihrer Bedienung, Behandlung und Pflege, Asgabe 196i Herausgeber Linotype GmbI-I, Berlin and Frankfurt am Main).

In the upper part of the illustration, approximately in the middle, a left-hand vise jaw 1 is shown connected to a rack 3 by means of an adjusting rod 2 which is part of the quadding device. The rack 3 can be moved by means of a piston rod 4, actuable by the hydraulic piston of the quadding device. At the connecting point between the rack 3 and the piston rod 4 is to be found the justifying device of the linecasting machine. This device comprises a locking nut 5 fitted concentrically to the piston rod 4, a locking screw 6 screwed into it, and a locking lever 7 engaging into a shoulder of the locking screw 6. When the quadding device is not used in the operation of the linecasting machine, the rack 3 lies with its front face against the locking screw 6. In this case the screw can be moved a little distance towards the right-hand vise jaw 8 (only partially shown in the illustration) in order to ensure that the left-hand vise jaw 1 will be brought to its exact line length setting (format) for a normal justification operation. This is accomplished by lifting the locking lever 7 and the consequent unscrewing of the locking screw 6 out of the locking nut 5. Screw 6 is connected to the left-hand vise jaw 1 through rack 3 as previously mentioned.

In the left-hand, lower part of the illustration there is shown the brace rod 9 of the justification linkage. In a normal quadding operation of the linecasting machine, in which the matrix line located between the vise jaws is not justified by means of space bands, but instead is quadded, the upper movement of the brace rod 9 and thus that of the crosstie rod (not illustrated) is prohibited by means of the blocking lever 10 intercepting the trunnion screw provided on rod 9. Lever 10 is rendered operative by means of a cam 15 which is actuated by the quadding device. A link rod 12 and a double-armed lever 13, to the second arm of which is fitted a cam follower roller 14, form the connection between cam 15 and lever 10. Thus when cam 15 engages roller 14 and pivots arm 13 clockwise, link 12 pushes lever 10 into the path of screw 9.

In the device according to the two examples of the invention, the rack 3 is formed with a groove 16. Below the rack 3 is fitted a slide 17 which is movable in a slide block 20 perpendicular to the direction of the movement of the rack 3. A compression spring 19 located on the actuating lever of block 20 is provided to move the slide to its extreme disengaged position.

Into the slide 17 is fitted an insert 21 which is equipped with an adjusting piece 22 having a locking nose 23 that can be tightly fitted into the groove 16 of the rack 3. By actuating the indention solenoid 18, the locking nose 23 is biased in the direction of the rack 3; in this way it can engage into the groove 16 and thus arrest the rack 3 as well as the left-hand vise jaw 1 when the rack 3 is moved in the direction of the right-hand vise jaw 8 by means of a piston rod 4 or a device to be described hereinafter. I

The insert 21 rests against the locking screw 6 of the justifying device and this permits a justification operation of the linecasting machine to be effected after the lefthand vise jaw has been indented. This is accomplished via the locking nose 23 which is now engaged into the groove 16 of rack 3.

Since, for the achievement of the left-hand indention, the locking of the justification linkage should be avoided in certain cases, the double-armed lever 13 is constructed in two parts and equipped with a tension spring 24 which elastically couples both parts thereof. At the point where the doublearmed lever 13 is connected to the link rod 12, a lock 25 has been fitted which can be moved into the path of movement of the double-armed lever 13 by means of a justification release solenoid 26. In this way that part of lever 13 connected to the blocking lever is arrested, and the movement ordinarily effected by the cam 15 is not transferred to the blocking lever 10.

in the device in accordance with the first construction example of the invention, a pinion solenoid (not shown) is further provided for actuating the pinion (not shown) of the quadding device which effects, in case of a quad center" command, the movement of both vise jaws towards each other. With the help of the pinion solenoid the pinion can be made ineffective in case by a command quad le inasmuch as it is being lifted out of its engagement with the racks of both vise jaws where it is normally only engaged in case of a quad center" command.

The device in accordance with the first construction example of the invention works as follows: First the size of the indention required is predetermined by the insertion of an insert 21 which is equipped with the locking nose 23 in the designed place. As soon as the command quad left" is given, the indention solenoid 18 is actuated so that it moves the locking nose 23 of the insert 21 against the rack 3 of the left-hand vise jaw 1.

To accomplish a justified line the quadding device now receives additionally the command quad right; yet, at the same time, the justification release solenoid 26 is actuated; this, in turn, locks the double-armed lever 13 and thus permits the justification linkage to carry out its function. The quadding device now moves the left-hand vise jaw l as far against the right-hand vise jaw 8 until the locking nose 23 engages into the groove 16 of the rack 3, and thus arrests the left-hand vise jaw 1 at the predetermined place. Now, in the known manner, a locking movement is carried out via the form block of insert 21 and locking screw 6, by which means an exact positioning of the indention is effected, and the matrix line is justified by means of the spacebands so that the casting operation can be carried out.

For the production of unjustified lines, the command quad center is given to the quadding device, and, at the same time, the pinion solenoid is actuated which makes ineffective the pinion and thus renders the movement of both vise jaws independent of each other. The quadding device guides both vise jaws towards each other until the left-hand vise jaw 1 is arrested by the engagement of the locking nose 23, and the right-hand vise jaw 8 runs against the matrix line. Again, via the locking device a locking movement is transferred to the left-hand vise jaw 1, the justification linkage, however, is arrested in its lower position, as is the case in normal work of the quadding device; in this way the justification is effected solely with the help of the quadding device.

After casting, the solenoid becomes ineffective again, the locking screw 6 loosens the matrix line and the locking nose 23 of the insert 21 is taken out of the groove 16 of the rack 3 with the help of the return spring 19 of the indention solenoid 18. Finally, the left-hand vise jaw 1 is, or in the case of unjustified like work both vise jaws are, brought back to its initial position through the quadding device.

There appears a difficulty in the device in accordance with the first construction example of the invention inasmuch as, in case of unjustified lines where the right-hand indention is smaller than the left-hand one, the vise jaw 8 hits the matrix line earlier than the left-hand vise jaw 1; thus, it moves the matrix line towards the left-hand vise jaw 1 and thus prevents an engagement of the locking nose 23. This difficulty could be overcome by means of moving the left-hand vise jaw l with slightly greater speed, or earlier than the right-hand vise jaw 8.

But both would require an extensive modification of the hydraulic system of the quadding device.

in the second construction example of the invention this difficulty is overcome by actuating the left-hand vise jaw l earlier and moving it, under spring pressure, towards the right-hand vise jaw 8, and by only returning it after the casting operation with the help of the quadding device to its initial position. The parts necessary for this purpose have been entered into the illustration. As is to be seen from the illustration the rack 3 of the left-hand vise jaw l is provided with a longitudinal hole. in it is located a pressure spring 27 which rests against the locking screw 6 and thus tensions the rack 3, and with it the left-hand vise jaw 1, against the right-hand vise jaw 8. On the opposite side, the rack 3 is arrested in its initial position by means of a lever 28 which is held in the illustrated position through the pressure spring 29, and which can be taken out of the path of movement of the rack 3 through a jaw release solenoid 30.

The working method of the device in accordance with the second construction example of the invention is now very similar to the device in accordance with the first construction example. At first, again, the size of the required left-hand indention is preselected by inserting a required insert 21, and at the command quad le the indention solenoid 18 is actuated, so that the locking nose 23 of the insert 21 is moved against the rack 3 of the left-hand vise jaw 1. Now, however, the jaw release solenoid 30 is actuated and thus the lever 28 taken out of the path of movement of the rack 3. The pressure spring 27 now moves the rack 3, together with the left-hand vise jaw 1, against the right-hand vise jaw 8 until the locking nose 23 of the insert 21 engages into the groove 16 of the rack 3, and thus arrests the left-hand vise jaw l in the preselected position. The release of the left-hand vise jaw 1 is in this case already effected when the matrix line is transferred in the first elevator of the linecasting machine, so that the left-hand vise jaw 1 is arrested in the position corresponding to the left-hand indention before the quadding device is actuated at all.

For the production of justified lines the quadding device receives the command quad right and at the same time the justification release solenoid 26 is actuated which cancels the blocking of the justification linkage; consequently, a locking movement of the left-hand vise jaw l is executed and the matrix line justified by means of the spacebands.

For the production of unjustified lines, only the command quad left is given to the quadding device which, due to the fact that the left-hand vise jaw 1 is already in its predestined position, only effects the matrix line to be justified by means of the right-hand vise jaw 8, after a locking movement of the lefthand vise jaw 1.

After the casting process the operation continues as it did in the first embodiment example. The solenoids become disconnected from their supply, the locking screw 6 loosens the matrix line, the locking nose 23 is taken out of the groove 16 by means of a return spring 19, and the vise jaws are brought back to their initial position through the quadding device. in this case, however, with the return movement of the left-hand vise jaw l additionally the pressure spring 27 is tensioned, and the lever 28 locked again so that the described device is ready for the production of further left-hand indentions.

It is to be understood that many variations can be made to the embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and therefore, the specification and drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative rather than in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a linecasting machine having a right vise jaw, left-hand vise jaw means including a left-hand jaw a vise frame, means for setting the left-hand vise jaw means to a position for casting a line of a selected length, and justification mechanism for justifying a line of matrices and spacebands, apparatus for producing lines of type having a selected indentation of the first type character in a line, said apparatus comprising means for moving the left-hand vise jaw means from its line set position towards and away from the right-hand vise jaw during an indentation operation, a slide member secured to the vise frame, a locking nose member mounted on said slide member and having an abutment located thereon for intercepting the left-hand vise jaw means to provide a selected indentation, said nose member being removably mounted for removal and replacement by another nose member having an abutment differently located so as to intercept the left-hand vise jaw means at a different position and provide a different selected indentation, means to move said hose member into the path of said left-hand vise jaw means during an indentation operation for arresting the movement of said vise jaw means towards the right-hand vise jaw at a position determined by the location of the abutment on said member, whereby when the line of matrices and spacebands is justified the composed line will have the selected indentation.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means to move said locking nose member includes a solenoid means for moving said nose member into the path of said vise jaw means and spring means for restoring said nose member to its normal nonblocking position.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including signal means for controlling energization of said solenoid means when an indented line is desired.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for moving the left-hand vise jaw means is a quadding and centering mechanism, and including auxiliary spring means for moving the left-hand vise jaw means towards the right-hand vise aw.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including stop means abutting the left-hand vise jaw means for blocking movement of said vise jaw means under the influence of said auxiliary spring means, and solenoid means for moving said stop means out of blocking position.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a justification release solenoid, and means for energizing said solenoid to permit a justification operation to take place after the lefthand vise jaw means has been moved to its arrested position as determined by the nose member.

* I! I l 

1. In a linecasting machine having a right vise jaw, left-hand vise jaw means including a left-hand jaw a vise frame, means for setting the left-hand vise jaw means to a position for casting a line of a selected length, and justification mechanism for justifying a line of matrices and spacebands, apparatus for producing lines of type having a selected indentation of the first type character in a line, said apparatus comprising means for moving the left-hand vise jaw means from its line set position towards and away from the right-hand vise jaw during an indentation operation, a slide member secured to the vise frame, a locking nose member mounted on said slide member and having an abutment located thereon for intercepting the left-hand vise jaw means to provide a selected indentation, said nose member being removably mounted for removal and replacement by another nose member having an abutment differently located so as to intercept the left-hand vise jaw means at a different position and provide a different selected indentation, means to move said hose member into the path of said left-hand vise jaw means during an indentation operation for arresting the movement of said vise jaw means towards the right-hand vise jaw at a position determined by the location of the abutment on said member, whereby when the line of matrices and spacebands is justified the composed line will have the selected indentation.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means to move said locking nose member includes a solenoid means for moving said nose member into the path of said vise jaw means and spring means for restoring said nose member to its normal nonblocking position.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including signal means for controlling energization of said solenoid means when an indented line is desired.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for moving the left-hand vise jaw means is a quadding and centering mechanism, and including auxiliary spring means for moving the left-hand vise jaw means towards the right-hand vise jaw.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including stop means abutting the left-hand vise jaw means for blocking movement of said vise jaw means under the influence of said auxilIary spring means, and solenoid means for moving said stop means out of blocking position.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a justification release solenoid, and means for energizing said solenoid to permit a justification operation to take place after the left-hand vise jaw means has been moved to its arrested position as determined by the nose member. 